Pleasing Others

Bible Text: Romans 15:1-3 | Preacher: Alan Conner | Series: 2005, Romans

INTRO

I. DO NOT PLEASE YOURSELF (v. 1).

A. Bearing the weaknesses of others.

1) secondary issues.

2) expanded application.

3) Bear the weaknesses of those without strength.

bear

weaknesses

It is ultimately the Lord who bears our weaknesses: Heb. 4:15; Psa. 68:19;                 1Pet. 5:7 .

B. Do not just please yourself.
We can’t bear others’ weaknesses and do our own thing at the same time. We                 must be willing to choose sacrifice for the sake of service, than self-indulgence for             the sake of our own pleasure.

Our sinful self is always self-centered.

II. PLEASE YOUR NEIGHBOR (v. 2).

A. Always???

B. Pleasing others can be a snare.

Being a man-pleaser can be a bad thing, if it is for selfish motives. John 12:42-43.

C. The proper motivations for pleasing our neighbor: “for his good (spiritual, material), to his edification (help his faith grow and be built up).”

We are to please them for their good, not ours:

III. CHRIST DID NOT PLEASE HIMSELF (v. 3)

A. Christ is the supreme example of one who did not please himself.

Matt. 26:39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”
John 4:34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.
John 6:38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
John 8:29 “And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.”

Christ is our pattern for putting others before ourselves: Phil. 2:3-8.

B. Ps. 69:9 is from a Messianic psalm.

1) Christ bore reproaches throughout His ministry.
2) Christ bore our reproaches on the cross. See Psa. 69:21, 25.

Here “reproaches” would merely represent, on the one hand, all the verbal abuse he received during his trial and crucifixion (Mt. 27:27-41), but, on the other hand, it is even more extensive than this for in the ultimate sense these “reproaches” represent all the sins of God’s people that fell upon our Lord on the cross. Isa. 53:4.

KEY: Christ did not live to please himself, but to please His heavenly Father and in so doing to bear our weaknesses and sins and reproaches.     THIS IS OUR MODEL. AND ALL HINGES ON OUR ULTIMATE DESIRE TO PLEASE THE LORD. 2 Cor. 5:9; Eph. 5:10; Col. 1:10; 1 Thess. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:4.

CONCLUSION

Discussion questions:
How can NWBC better carry the weaknesses of others? What practical steps may be taken to accomplish this?
How can we increase our focus on pleasing the Lord?